Once Upon a Time
by Cap'NCupcake
Summary: When his daughter can't seem to fall asleep, Travis decides to tell her a little story. Travis/Katie with a little medieval twist.
1. Once Upon a Time

Mary opened the door to her parents room as quietly as possible. She knelt down beside their bed, her face only inches away from her sleeping father's. He was snoring slightly and a bit of drool slid down his cheek. "Daddy," she whispered quietly. "_Daddy!_" When he still didn't move, she poked him in the forehead. His face scrunched up and his eyes opened wide. He seemed hazed at first, as most people who have just woken up do, but after looking around a bit, blinking quite a few times, and hearing his daughter say his name, he woke up and acknowledged his surroundings.

"Mary," he mumbled groggily. "What is it? Are you okay?"

"I had a bad dream," she whispered, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout and her eyes wide.

"Well that's not very good." She agreed and shook her head. Travis rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. After shaking his head around a bit to wake himself up, he pushed the covers back, stood up, and grabbed Mary's hand. "Let's go to your room, sweetie," he murmured quietly, walking towards the door, her small fingers intertwined with his. "We don't want to wake up Mommy."

Travis flicked on the light as he walked through the doorway of his daughter's room. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the brightness and followed Mary to the side of her bed. After she crawled on to the matress and under the covers, he tucked her in and kissed her forehead. He went to walk away but a pleading, "_Daaaady_," stopped him.

"Hmm?" he asked, turning around to face her.

"You can't leave now," Mary said, shaking her head in disappointment and rolling her eyes. Sometimes the similarity between mother and daughter were slightly scary. "I have to tell you about my dream."

He smiled and walked back over to the side of her bed. "I'm sorry. I forgot. Silly me." Travis looked around the room for some place he could sit. In the corner of the room sat a small table and three small chairs perfect for tea parties. The chair was far too small for him, but it was better than the ground. After moving the teddy bear that sat perfectly in the middle of the seat, he grabbed the chair and brought it next to Mary. He sat down and tried to get comfortable. That was quite hard when the seat was practically going up his crack.

"So," Travis said with a sigh once he was as comfortable as possible. "What was your dream?"

"There was this guy and he was giant."

"So he was a giant."

"No! He _was _giant."

"But giants are giant."

"But he wasn't a giant! He just was giant!"

"Fine. So he was giant but he was not a giant."

"Yes." Mary sighed and rolled her eyes before continuing. "So the giant guy was also part chicken."

"What?"

"He was part chicken."

"What do you mean 'part chicken'? Did he have wings? A beak?"

"His head looked like a normal person's head, but the rest of him looked like a chicken."

"How do you know he wasn't just wearing a chicken costume from the neck down?"

"Because he wasn't! He was part chicken!"

"Alright, alright. No need to yell. What happened after the chicken man?"

"So the chicken guy, he took me and then he trapped me inside the monkey bars."

"Wait! How can someone trap you inside monkey bars?"

"I was trapped in them! I couldn't move!"

"So were you literally trapped _inside _a monkey bar, or was there a bar here and another here and you were trapped in between the two?"

"I don't know!"

"Well that's the first thing you have to know if you're telling me about your dream, Mary! You need to know the facts! Plain and simple." After Travis's words, Mary's bottom lip started trembling and her eyes became wide and wet. "Oh, no, no, no. Don't start crying, sweetie. I'm sorry. I was kidding, I promise."

"You were?" she asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Yeah, totally." She nodded and smiled once more. "Alright then," Travis said, standing from his tiny chair and towering over the girl lying in bed. "I will now bid you adue. Goodnight, my dear." He leaned down and kissed her forehead before heading for the door once more. Right as he reached to turn off the lights a small, Mary spoke up.

"Daddy?"

He sighed. "Yes, sweetie?"

"I can't go back to sleep."

"Have you even tried?" he asked, eyebrows raised. She nodded her head vigorously. "So you decided from the three seconds after I said goodnight that you couldn't go back to sleep?"

Nodding again, she muttered, "Yep."

Travis sighed once more and walked back over to her, sitting in the small chair once more. "Well, what can I do to help that?" he asked her.

"You can tell me a story!" she exclaimed excitedly, bobbing up and down in bed.

He gave her a small smile. "Mary, you know I don't tell stories. I'm really more of a jokes kind of guy."

"_Pleeeaaassse,_" she whined. Katie liked to say that the only thing Mary inherited from Travis was her whining. Travis was starting to believe her.

He sighed in defeat. "Fine." She smiled and looked up at him expectantly. "So there was this princess-"

"No, no, no! You're doing it all wrong!"

"Well I'm sorry! You know I don't do stories!"

Mary sighed and shook her in disappointment. "You have to start it with 'Once upon a time.' Mommy says that's what makes a story."

"Really? Is that what she said?" She nodded her head and continued to stare at him patiently. "Well, um, I guess once upon a time . . . "

* * *

So this idea has been rolling around in my head for a while, actually, and I just finally decided to write it. I'm not exactly sure how many chapters this will have, but there probably won't be all that many. I guess you could thank Jane and the Dragon for this fic cuz that's really where I got the idea. It's just Katie's and Travis's story with a medieval twist. Ha ha! It'll mostly just be the story with little outbursts of Mary's here and there. You'll see what I mean. Sorry for any mistakes! My oh so wonderful beta is currently out of town with no computer so this was indeed unbeta'ed. I'd love to hear what you guys think of this!

I don't own anything!

Lather, rinse, review!

:) Jordan


	2. There Lived a Beautiful Princess

"Well, um, I guess once upon a time . . . "

* * *

. . . there was a wonderful kingdom called . . . Maryanopola. It was a great kingdom, it really was. Everyone was friendly, they used ketchup packets to buy things, and the Royal Family was always fair. King Daniel and Queen Demeter were loved by everyone. If a peasant needed a place to stay, they had extra rooms. If they were starving and poor and hungry, the king and queen gave them food.

Now King Daniel and Queen Demeter also had a daughter named . . . Princess Katelyn. She was gorgeous; prettier than everyone in the whole kingdom. With her long, brown hair and her glowing dark eyes that seemed to shine in the light, everyone bowed down to her. Princess Katelyn had many, many suitors, but she never approved of them fully, not enough to marry her.

You see, Princess Katelyn's room was locked up in the highest of towers, and outside of said tower were two dragons. One was named Pride and the other's name was Trust, and-

* * *

"Those are funny names for dragons," Mary interrupted.

"Well yeah. Katie- I mean, Princess Katelyn was just sick and tired of the normal dragon names, so she went with Pride and Trust," Travis informed her.

"I don't like their names." She shook her head in disappointment.

"Well that's too dang bad cuz this is my story, my friend." When Mary stuck her tongue out at him, he couldn't really help but stick his back out at her. "Now," he continued, "as I was saying . . ."

* * *

. . . Princess Katelyn loved her dragons, she really did, but not everyone knew that, especially not her suitors. They all thought that Pride and Trust were just any old dragons and they tried to kill them and destroy them. The princess did not like this. She did not like it one bit. So, obviously, she sent the evil suitors to be beheaded so she would never have to see them again. If you truly wanted to marry Princess Katelyn, there was only one way and one way only to get passed the dragons, and into her heart. But the only person who knew that, of course, was the princess herself.

Now, as I said before, everyone loved the princess, but there was one person in particular who she had caught the eye of: the jester.

* * *

"What's a jester?"

"Mary! I'm getting to the best character! What have I said about interrupting?" Travis exclaimed.

"I just want to know what it is!" she whined.

He sighed melodramatically and rolled his eyes. "The jester's like the fool of the kingdom. He tells jokes and has puppet shows and juggles. He's the coolest one in the whole entire castle."

"Oh."

"Where was I? Oh yes. The jester."

* * *

The jester was quite the fool that one. His name was Travis and he was always telling jokes or pulling pranks. Plus, he was so devilishly handsome, it was hard not to love him. He had one of those hats with three bells and a silly little red suit. Everyone loved him. Well, except for the Lady Demeter and Princess Katelyn. They both thought he was foolish and idiotic and that he needed a haircut. Plus, there was that one time with the rabbits on the roof of the castle which neither of them really forgave poor Travis for but that's another story.

Now Travis had a brother. His name was Conner and he wasn't nearly as hot or funny or awesome as his brother. No, no, no. He was actually just a servant. Yes, a lonely, pathetic little servant that lived in a shed the size of bathroom. For dinner he had to eat bread and cabbage soup every night and during the day, he had to serve for the king. He had a miserable life. Travis laughed at him.

* * *

"Well that's not very nice."

"_Mary!_"

* * *

So Travis had a fancy for the lovely Princess Katelyn. He loved how her hair would flow in the wind as she rode on her horse and how when she walked through the castle's garden, she didn't seem to have a care in the world other than that small flower in her hand. He loved how her smile seemed to glow in the dark and how when she was mad, everyone knew to steer clear unless you wanted to be dinner for Pride and Trust.

But Travis couldn't do anything about his love for the dear Princess Katelyn except sit and watch. A jester and a princess? The thought would make anyone laugh. Princesses were supposed to wed handsome knights and princes not silly jesters who needed to get their hair cut.

So as he watched the princess sit up in her bedroom and brush her hair from his seat on the stone bench in the middle of the kingdom, Travis sighed. He knew he would never have a chance with her, no matter what, not unless he suddenly became some fancy, schmancy knight in the next few days.

Travis looked down at the guitar in his hands and strummed the strings once more. As he thought up another rhyme for the ballad the king had told him to write earlier in the day, he heard his name being called. Travis glanced up and saw Conner come running down the rocky path.

"Court Fool!" he yelled loudly above the murmur of the rest of the kingdom. Travis couldn't help but smirk as he watched his brother wriggle in between crowded bodies. "Fool," he huffed once he got out of the crowd and in front of Travis. "The king requests your presence at once."

"Fool, is it?" Travis asked, standing up from his seat. "It's not like you don't know my name, _Servant_."

He chuckled at the glare Conner sent his way. "The king says I need to act more professional while under his services."

"More professional?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as they began to walk toward the Great Hall. "Is that so? Well then, take my guitar." He held it out for him but Conner stared at the instrument as if it were growing a head. "Don't just stand there. Take it. You don't want me telling the king how unprofessional you're being by not helping me - his favorite jester - now do you?"

Conner sighed and grabbed the guitar angrily. "I hate you," he mumbled.

"You're a feisty little servant aren't you?" Travis said with a smirk as they entered the Great Hall. They each bowed to the king and queen who sat in their thrones, their crowns perched perfectly on their heads.

"My lord," Travis greeted with a smile. "And oh my. Lady Demeter. Don't you look gorgeous this evening." She stared at him without emotion, not saying a word.

"Travis," King Daniel began, bringing his attention back to him. "We have visitors. I will need you to prepare for supper this evening where you will entertain us all. I want something new, fresh, and exciting."

"Of course, sire. Might I ask who these visitors are?" Travis asked kindly.

"King Apollo and his knights of Sunnolia." Travis raised his eyebrows in shock. Maryanopola and Sunnolia had always been enemies. No matter how many treaties were signed, the two kingdoms would fight. Apparently King Daniel had stolen King Apollo's suitor long ago and they've hated each other ever since. "We have made peace and expect to keep it that way," the king explained. "Some good jokes and maybe a few tricks shall be fine." They both nodded in understanding. "That is all."

With one last bow, Travis left the room. But not before grabbing his guitar from Conner with a mischievous smirk, of course.

After walking through the castle, Travis ended up in front of a familiar door. He knocked on the hard wood and waited patiently. Within seconds he heard soft steps hurrying over to let him in.

Travis was greeted with a scowl as the door swung open. "Princess Katelyn does not wished to be disturbed right now, especially not by _you_," Melani, the princess's maid, told him. She wore a scratchy-looking gray gown that fell to the floor. Her hair was tied up quickly into a bun.

"And a hello to you too, Melani," Travis said with a sarcastic grin. "I'm not here to _bother_ the princess. I never _bother_. I think the word you're looking for is . . . entertain with my amazing talent or . . . possibly excite with my devilishly good looks."

She smiled up at him. "That was a good joke. Maybe you should tell it at the supper tonight. It sure would make everyone laugh."

Before Travis could reply back with a snappy retort of his own, a familiar voice came from a distance. "Just let him in," Princess Katelyn called from her room. "Hearing you two bicker is worse than his jokes."

With a triumphant smirk, Travis glided into the room as if he owned the place. "Princess," he greeted with a bow. She waved him off and continued staring at her reflection in the mirror, fluffing out her skirt or picking at an invisible blemish.

"What do you want, Jester?" Princess Katelyn asked in a bored tone.

"Jester, is it? Why is it that everyone insists on calling me everything but my name today?" he questioned, coming up to stand behind her. He watched her every move in the reflection of the mirror.

"Maybe because the name 'Travis' brings nightmares to the poor and sends the children running through the streets in horror," she answered.

"It does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Travis asked with his chin held high.

Princess Katelyn turned around abruptly so she could stare at him face to face. Well, face to neck. She did have to tilt her head back a bit to be able to stare up into his clear blue eyes. He stared back down at her with a smirk, as if laughing at their height difference. This infuriated the princess. Travis seemed to do nothing but laugh at her _all day long_. Whether it be because of her height of her looks or her feelings, he always seemed to be there, laughing at her.

"What do you _want_, Fool?" she asked irritably.

He raised an eyebrow at the tone of her voice, and took a casual step backwards. "Just thought I'd say hi, that's all," Travis answered, hands slightly raised to show his innocence.

Princess Katelyn rolled her eyes before turning back toward the mirror. "Don't you have a ballad to practice or something for tonight?"

Travis stared at her as she pulled the brush angrily through her hair. "Of course I do, but bugging you is just so much more fun." He smiled at her frustrated reflection. After only getting a very un-princess-like growl in response, he went on. "Plus, those knights are all such idiots, it doesn't matter what I sing or do. They'll be so distracted by all the bright lights and pretty colors, they won't have to time to comment."

Katelyn whipped her head around quickly to glare at him. "They aren't _idiots_," she said angrily. "Not all of them, anyway."

"Have you ever talked to them, Katelyn dear? I guess there are a few . . . _adequate _ones but most of them definitely aren't the sharpest thorns on the rose bush." Travis smiled at his simile, knowing that the princess would appreciate his use of flowers.

She didn't.

"They aren't stupid,_ Fool_. Some of them happen to be nice and smart and charming," she told him with a scowl.

Travis's smile just grew as he raised his eyebrows at Princess Katelyn and asked, "My darling princess, do you have a fancy for a certain knight of Sunnolia?"

She scoffed at him. "Heavens no!" Katelyn exclaimed, waving a hand in the air dramatically, but Travis just kept on laughing. "Now you really should get going. You _do _have to entertain people tonight."

"You have a crush on a knight of Sunnolia, of all places," he continued, ignoring her comment all together.

"If you're not going to leave, I will," Princess Katelyn said with a determined nod.

"Does you daddy know about this? I'm sure he'd find it _quite_ amusing."

"Go. Now."

"I bet he rides a horse. You always have liked horses, haven't you Katelyn?"

"I'm leaving," she said getting up and walking out of the room as quickly as possible, leaving Travis's laughs behind her.

As the sun went down, everyone gathered in the Great Hall for the festivities of the evening. As Travis came in he immediately spotted Princess Katelyn in a large green dress. She was standing next to a man he'd never seen before. Around his neck hung the traditional bright yellow cloak all knights of Sunnolia wore. Travis scoffed. If this was the knight the princess seemed so in love with, she had worse taste then he thought. I mean, yeah. Most girls would find hair like that a major turn on, but Travis was certain that it was most likely a wig because he lost all of his hair battling a toad. And yeah, those girls would probably find his dimples 'cute and adorable' but Travis knew that his skin was probably horrible. I mean, with all that hard work being a knight, he must sweat like all the time. Ew. Plus, his teeth were _really _white but Travis was sure that he was probably a _terrible _kisser with lips as red and luscious as those . . .

Travis shook his head to get back to reality. He was not some preppy little peasant girl. He was Travis Stoll. The Court Fool. The hottest thing to ever step foot in the kingdom of Maryanopola. This knight fellow had nothing on him.

Travis leisurely strolled towards the princess and her suitor, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "Princess," he greeted with a small bow.

She glared down at him. "What do you want, _Fool_?"

Travis smirked and stood back to his full height. Pissing the princess off was one of his favorite pastimes. "Just wanted to meet your _friend _here, that's all."

With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, Katie motioned to her knightly friend. "Fool, Sir Andrew Morgan. Sir Andrew, Fool."

Travis's smile widened as he held out his hand for the other man to shake. "Travis Stoll, actually, but the princess may call me whatever she pleases." He winked over at Katelyn, causing her to gag.

Sir Andrew just smiled kindly, however, and replied with a formal, "Well it's very nice to meet you."

"I'm sure it is," Travis said with a smirk, earning yet another angry glare from Princess Katelyn.

"Don't you have a performance to set up for or something?" she asked with wide eyes and tight lips.

He nodded and swayed back and forth on his feet. "Yes. Yes I do."

They waited for him to leave but when there was no indication that he was leaving, Katelyn rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "Then don't you think you should _go_?"

"And miss standing in this awkward silence filled with sexual tension between the two of you?" He scoffed. "What? Do you think I'm _stupid_?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" the princess asked with a delicate eyebrow raised and a daring scowl.

Before Travis could reply, the king called out to all of his guests to gather around for it was supper time. Travis smirked and bowed once more before leaving. "Oh!" he shouted over his shoulder. "And nice to meet you Sir Andrey!"

"It's Andrew!" he corrected.

"Mmhm," Travis mumbled, turning back around and heading to the center of the room to get ready for his performance.

The show was entertaining and pleasant. As Travis sang ballads and juggled and blew fire, many "Ooh!"s and "Ahh!"s ran across the table. He even pulled a beautiful amaryllis out from behind the princess's ear and presented it to her with a bow and a smile. She tried to ignore him by turning her head and putting her nose up in the air, but after her father cleared his throat angrily and glared at her with frustrated eyes, she rolled her eyes and gave Travis a tight smile.

She gently grasped the stem of the flower - her favorite kind, to be exact. Her eyes never left Travis's as she simply moved her hand to the left so it hung above the flame of the candle lighting the table. Travis watched as she dipped the flower down slowly, the petals igniting almost immediately, turning them into a black, charred mess.

The princess quickly brought the smoldering flower up and in front of her face. He could feel her breath on his face as she blew out the flames slowly, almost seductively. As soon as the fire was no longer, she turned her eyes back to his with a smirk. "Thank you, Jester."

Travis took a deep breath before plastering a fake smile on his face. He bowed and nodded respectively. No matter how hard he tried, Travis was sure that you could hear the hurt in his voice as he replied with a polite, "Anything for you, Your Highness."

* * *

Now, I really am sorry this took so dang long to update but I already told you that the updating schedule of this thing was going to be crazy. Also, major apologies if like none of this stuff seems real cuz the only information I have about medeval times is from that TV show Merlin and the cartoon thing Jane and the Dragon. Ha ha! No lie.

So thanks to all for being patient and waiting for this to come out. It's here now and I hope that you liked it. I also want to thank everyone for actually making Tratie seem like a canon couple. I mean seriously. We have lik 70 fics for them or something equally as ridiculous. I'm pretty sure that's more than the amount of Gruniper fics, which I actually find kind of sad. Poor Gruniper. But anyways, thank you all so much! It really means a lot to me.

I don't own ANYTHING! Except for my cat Tommy. He's so cute. Sometimes, especially when he's in trouble or when I've just brushed him, I call him Lord Thomas. Ha ha!

Lather, rinse, review!

:) Jordan


End file.
